US President Donald Trump has denied any intention to pursue a third presidential term, a move explicitly prohibited by the 22nd Amendment of the US Constitution.
“I’ll be an eight-year president, I’ll be a two-term president. I always thought that was very important,” Trump said during an interview .
Despite his firm statement, Trump, 78, has previously claimed he was “not joking” about the idea of serving a third—or even fourth—term in office. He later clarified that such remarks were meant to provoke what he called the “fake news media.”
Adding to public speculation, The Trump Organization has been selling merchandise branded with “Trump 2028.” Trump acknowledged the merchandise during the interview, noting, “There are many people selling the 2028 hat,” but insisted, “this is not something I’m looking to do.”
He said he has received “many requests” from supporters urging him to remain in office beyond a second term. However, he conceded, “To the best of my knowledge, you’re not allowed to do it. I don’t know if that’s constitutional that they’re not allowing you to do it or anything else.”
He also listed potential Republican successors, including Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
The 22nd Amendment of the US Constitution states: “No person shall be elected to the office of the President more than twice.” Amending this would require approval from two-thirds of both the House and Senate, and ratification by three-quarters of the states.
Some of Trump’s supporters have speculated about legal loopholes that could allow a third term, though these theories remain untested in court. When asked if anyone had directly approached him with these claims, Trump answered vaguely: “In a capacity of being a big supporter, many people have said different things.”
Trump also addressed the economy and ongoing trade policies during the interview, defending his tariff strategy despite signs of economic contraction.
“Look, yeah. Everything’s OK,” he said, downplaying the recent shrinkage in the US economy—the first since 2022. “This is a transition period. I think we’re going to do fantastically.”
Asked if the economic downturn could continue, Trump said: “Anything can happen. But I think we’re going to have the greatest economy in the history of our country.”
He also suggested tariffs might become permanent, stating, “If somebody thought they were going to come off the table, why would they build in the United States?”
On consumer impacts, he dismissed concerns about shortages in retail stores. “They don’t need to have 30 dolls. They can have three,” he said. “They don’t need to have 250 pencils. They can have five
Trump was questioned about alleged violations of the Fifth Amendment, which guarantees due process to those accused of crimes. Critics argue that his administration’s deportation policies have removed individuals before they were formally charged or given a chance to defend themselves legally.
“Don’t you need to uphold the Constitution of the United States as president?” asked Welker, pointing to the presidential oath that obligates Trump to “preserve, protect and defend the Constitution.”
Trump responded, “I don’t know. I have to respond by saying, again, I have brilliant lawyers that work for me, and they are going to obviously follow what the Supreme Court said.”
This came shortly after a Supreme Court ruling that required the administration to help facilitate the return of a migrant mistakenly deported to jail in El Salvador—a decision the White House has struggled to enforce.
